Sculpted header seal for reclosable bags

ABSTRACT

The reclosable bag includes a slider-operated zipper with a removable header formed over the zipper. The removable header includes a broad top seal provides room for a hang aperture and which can be shaped to stabilize or park the slider prior to removal of the header. Additionally, the broad top seal can be configured so as to leave a portion of the edges of the web immediately above the zipper unsealed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a reclosable bag with a slider-operated zipper. The reclosable bag further includes a header formed above the zipper which is removed in order to access the zipper. The header includes a broad seal which extends across the top of the bag, extending proximate to the zipper profile and minimizing the open area along the side of the header.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Reclosable bags with slider-operated zippers are well-known within the prior art and have been satisfactory for the intended purposes. Further, it is known to use the material which forms the bag walls to further form a removable header which limits access to the zipper, thereby providing an improved aesthetic appearance, a convenient location for a hang hole, as well as tamper evidence. Such a bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,242 entitled “Reclosable Package; and Methods”, issued on Feb. 11, 2003 to Buchman.

The bag disclosed by the Buchman reference includes a slider-operated zipper with a removable header formed over the zipper. Main side seals extend from the bottom of the bag to just below the zipper profiles. Header side seals extend along the side of the header from just above the zipper profile to the top of the header thereby minimizing the open side area of the removable header.

Such a configuration, while satisfactory is many respects, is somewhat deficient in aesthetics, the ease in which the header can be removed, the strength of the area surrounding any hang hole and the securing of the position of the slider within the header.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reclosable bag with a slider-operated zipper and a removable header, wherein the need for side seals on the header is reduced or eliminated.

It is therefore a further object of the present invention to increase the ease in which the header can be removed from such a reclosable bag.

It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to increase the strength and aesthetics in the area of a hang hole formed in the removable header of such a reclosable bag.

It is therefore a still further object of the present invention to increase the ability to park or stabilize the slider of the slider-operated zipper within the removable header.

These and other objects are attained by sealing the top webs of the removable header with a wide horizontal (that is, parallel to zipper) seal that reduces the open area along the side of the header. Moreover, in order to provide for an even wider seal and further reduce the open area, the header seal can be sculpted to allow for a non-sealed area around the position of the slider in order to allow the header seal to extend closer to the zipper profile and minimize the open area along the side of the header. Additionally, this improves the stabilization or parking of the slider.

Additionally, this header construction can be incorporated into packages with continuous side seals that extend from the top to the bottom of the package. This header construction would have improved aesthetics, improve the ease with which the header can be removed and increase or strengthen the area for the hang hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the reclosable bag 10 of the present invention.

Reclosable bag 10 includes a front panel 12 and a rear panel 14, made from polymeric film as is known to those skilled in the art, which are joined at the bottom by a bottom seal 16, which can be replaced by a fold in some embodiments (see fold 16′ in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). Side seals 18, 20 extend from the ends of bottom seal 16 to the flanges of zipper 22. Flanges of zipper 22 are sealed to front and rear panels 12, 14 along seal lines 21 (shown in FIG. 1 for front panel 12 only). Additionally, the flanges are typically sealed together at their ends to maintain the integrity of the contents of reclosable bag 10. Zipper 22 is opened and closed by a slider 24 in a conventional manner, as known to those skilled in the art, wherein the slider 24 moving in a first direction separates the profiles of the zipper 22 and the slider 24 moving in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, interlocks the profiles of the zipper 22. Front and rear panels 12, 14 extend above zipper 22 to form removable header 30. Top seal 40 is formed by sealing front and rear panels 12, 14 together along a wide area at the top of the reclosable bag 10. Top seal 40 extends downwardly from the top of reclosable bag 10 to a position immediately above zipper 22 wherein, typically, the side edge portions 44, 46 of front and rear panels 12, 14 immediately above zipper 22 are free of sealing. A portion formed by a semi-circular area 48 (other shapes, such as rectangular or oval are likewise envisioned as a variation of this embodiment) of header 30 is left unsealed immediately above the slider 24 in order to allow the header 30 to wrap around and stabilize or park slider 24 without tearing front or rear panels 12, 14. This stabilizing or parking of slider 24 is particularly effective if the bottom edge 41 of top seal 40, except for semi-circular area 48, is below the top surface of slider 24. Additionally, hang aperture 50 is formed in a central position through top seal 40.

In order to allow the user to remove header 30 to access zipper 22 and slider 24, lines of weakness 52 are provided on front and rear panels 12, 14 between top seal 40 and the seal lines 21. Seal lines 21 join the front and rear panels 12, 14 to zipper 22. These lines of weakness 52 can be scored lines or perforated lines.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2 wherein the lines of weakness 52 are above the zipper 22 at the edges of the package, extending into top seal 40 above side portions 44, 46, but approach the seal lines 21 below the zipper 22 across the face of the reclosable bag 10. Incidentally, FIG. 2 further shows bottom seal 16 replaced by fold 16′.

A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3 wherein the top seal 40 has an arced bottom surface 41. The ends 42, 45 of arced bottom edge 41 approach zipper 22 thereby minimizing the unsealed area of side portions 44, 46 and typically extending below the level of slider 24 thereby confining slider 24 between the ends 42, 45 of the arced bottom edge 41 and inhibiting access to slider 24 until header 30 is removed while still providing ample room for slider 24 within header 30. While no hang aperture 50 is illustrated in this embodiment, a hang aperture 50 such as those disclosed in other embodiments is likewise applicable to this third embodiment.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 4 shows side seals 18, 20 extending along the sides of front and rear panels 12, 14, from bottom fold 16′ to top seal 40 thereby eliminating unsealed side portions 44, 46 disclosed in the first three embodiments. Additionally, top seal 40 is spaced away from slider 24, but includes sufficient room for the hang aperture 50. This fourth embodiment is further illustrated with a line of weakness 52 which is located at the side seals 18, 20 at a position above zipper 22, but which, in the central areas of front and rear panels 12, 14, extends downwardly to a position between zipper 22 and seal line 21.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present embodiments can be adapted, possibly with modifications, to apply to various packaging styles, such as top fill (behind or through the zipper), bottom fill, gusseted bottom, etc.

Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims. 

1. A reclosable bag, comprising: a first web panel sealed to a second web panel; a zipper, operated by a slider, sealed to said first web panel and said second panel along seal lines; a portion of said first web panel and said second web panel extending over said zipper thereby forming a header over said zipper; said header including a header seal between a portion of said first web panel and a portion of said second web panel; a hang aperture extending through and being completely surrounded by said header seal; and wherein side edges of said header seal extend from a top edge of said first and second web panels to upwardly adjacent from said zipper.
 2. The reclosable bag of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of side edges of said first web panel and said second web panel are free of sealing to each other between said zipper and said header seal.
 3. The reclosable bag of claim 1 wherein side edges of said first web panel are sealed to side edges of said second web panel between said zipper and said header seal.
 4. The reclosable bag of claim 2 including lines of weakness in said first and second web panels between said header seal and said seal lines, thereby allowing a user to remove said header from the reclosable bag, thereby accessing said zipper.
 5. The reclosable bag of claim 4 wherein a lower edge of said header seal includes an upwardly extending portion above said slider which is free of sealing, thereby stabilizing a position of said slider prior to removal of said header from the bag.
 6. The reclosable bag of claim 2 including lines of weakness which are formed at ends of said header seal and which, in central portions of said first and second web panels, are formed between said header seal and said seal lines, thereby allowing a user to remove said header from the reclosable bag, thereby accessing the zipper.
 7. The reclosable bag of claim 6 wherein a lower edge of said header seal includes an upwardly extending portion above said slider which is free of sealing, thereby stabilizing a position of said slider prior to removal of said header from the bag.
 8. A reclosable bag, comprising: a first web panel sealed to a second web panel; a zipper, operated by a slider, sealed to said first web panel and said second panel along seal lines; a portion of said first web panel and said second web panel extending over said zipper thereby forming a header over said zipper; and said header including a header seal between a portion of said first web panel and a portion of said second web panel, a lower edge of said header seal including an upwardly extending portion above said slider which is free of sealing, thereby stabilizing a position of said slider prior to removal of said header from the bag.
 9. The reclosable bag of claim 8 wherein side edges of said header seal extend from a top edge of said first and second web panels to upwardly adjacent from said zipper.
 10. The reclosable bag of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of side edges of said first web panel and said second web panel are free of sealing to each other between said zipper and said header seal.
 11. The reclosable bag of claim 9 wherein side edges of said first web panel are sealed to side edges of said second web panel between said zipper and said header seal.
 12. The reclosable bag of claim 8 including lines of weakness in said first and second web panels between said header seal and said seal lines, thereby allowing a user to remove said header from the reclosable bag, thereby accessing said zipper.
 13. The reclosable bag of claim 8 including lines of weakness which are formed at ends of said header seal and which, in central portions of said first and second web panels, are formed between said header seal and said seal lines, thereby allowing a user to remove said header from the reclosable bag, thereby accessing the zipper.
 14. A reclosable bag, comprising: a first web panel sealed to a second web panel; a zipper, operated by a slider, sealed to said first web panel and said second panel along seal lines; a portion of said first web panel and said second web panel extending over said zipper thereby forming a header over said zipper; said header including a header seal between a portion of said first web panel and a portion of said second web panel; and said header seal including an arcuate lower edge thereby confining said slider between the ends of said arcuate lower edge.
 15. The reclosable bag of claim 14 wherein said side edges of said header seal extend from a top edge of said first and second web panels to upwardly adjacent from said zipper.
 16. The reclosable bag of claim 15 wherein at least a portion of side edges of said first web panel and said second web panel are free of sealing to each other between said zipper and said header seal.
 17. The reclosable bag of claim 15 wherein side edges of said first web panel are sealed to side edges of said second web panel between said zipper and said header seal.
 18. The reclosable bag of claim 14 including lines of weakness in said first and second web panels between said header seal and said seal lines, thereby allowing a user to remove said header from the reclosable bag, thereby accessing said zipper. 